TAFFETAS dresses will be very fashionable this season, and offer much variety in style. The most elegant are white sprigged with rosebuds and wreath edging each flounce; others are of light colours, having the design in white, but this style, of course, is in endless varieties. Stripes are also very fashionable; many are very wide, whilst others are almost invisible so narrow are they. Foulards are again in demand; they are very suitable to wear with velvet jackets; they are also much used for morning or negligé wear. Many of the taffetas for summer wear are à disposition, that is, they have wreaths at the edge of the flounces; others are sprigged on a light ground or glacé: plain ones are all of light colours and with flounces half-covered by fancy trimming in relief, which assimilates them to those à disposition. The longcontinued cold winds rather impeded the appearance of summer toilettes, and many were made of the redingote form, for which purpose gray and ecru chiné with black were used, the bodies buttoned to the throat and ornamented as well as the skirts by revers forming points trimmed with black lace, with mantelet écharpe to match. Violet is a fashionable colour both for shawls and mantelets; the dresses with flounces scolloped with black. Marron, so much in favour during the winter, is still in demand; dresses have been made of it embroidered up the sides, the long ends of the ceinture floating on the plain centre of the skirt; others are with double skirts embroidered in wreaths of different shades of the same colour: dresses of black taffetas are also spoken of embroidered in colours.

Taffetas chiné are decidedly fashionable this summer, and are seen in every colour, particularly black and white or marron and white, with coloured bouquets on them. Wide stripes or checks are also in favour, and indeed stripes are worn from the widest to the narrowest dimensions; those with stripes wove in the material as the dresses termed à disposition continue in favour, as well in silks as in plainer materials, sometimes edging the flounce or forming graduated

stripes reaching nearly to the waist, the basques and sleeves corresponding.

A pretty and novel style of dress of violet taffetas was with plain skirt having quilles of black velvet in two rows down each side of the skirt, between each of which was an embroidery of black silk. Another was of still more novel effect, the dress being of green with double flounces of different shades; the under one dark, edged by ruches; the upper one pinked in vandykes and bordered by a ruche of black lace, the colour of the under flounce showing through the pinking of the vandykes. Others are with plain skirts, having ceintures of very wide ribbon, which cover the front of the skirt in the apron or tablier style. The union of black and white is no longer indicative of mourning; even ball dresses of tulle have flounces edged with rows of the narrowest black velvet, the berthe and short sleeves ornamented to correspond; noeuds of narrow black velvet are also introduced on trimmings of tulle.

Double skirts as well as those open at the sides are fashionable, and, though many are without basques, they are by no means inadmissible; but dresses of those fabrics such as barège, jaconet, muslins, organdys, and numerous others of similar texture are without basques, having a very narrow ceinture with large choux of ribbon and long ends. Low bodies will be worn with lace ones over or pelerines of lace, the prettiest of which are made with rows of lace headed by ruches of ribbon; they cross at the side, tying behind or fasten in front. The silk jackets will soon be replaced by cannezous of black and white lace as well as muslin-a fashion which is perpetuated from year to year.

The collars this season are quite new, being frequently composed of medallions or rasaces of embroidery encircled by insertions of valenciennes lace and edged with the same; the form called col broche is also again worn, having ends more or less long, which cross over, confined by a brooch, and being finished all round the top with lace answer very well for the high bodies which close in front; but collars of all sizes are worn, many, indeed, are very large.

The basques worn now are much deeper than those of last year; but as they only suit tall figures, they are adapted to shorter ones by being made narrower and edged with a deep fringe or lace. Various styles of corsages are made both in velvet and silk, but all closing in front, and the elegance of the toilette often confined to them, the skirt being plain, but the width of them supplies the want of trimming; the folds

at the waist, however, are very deep and plain, as it is more at the bottom of the skirt than at the hips that the fulness is required.

Straw bonnets multiply, and the early spring flowers are much in request to ornament them, and are occasionally blended with black and white lace on the same bonnet. Some very pretty bonnets are made of straw and biais of white taffetas ornamented by wide black lace and poppies. Now, also, is the reign of leghorns and paille de riz ornamented with feathers or flowers and lappets. Many bonnets are made of straw lisse, which was much used last season, and is easily adapted to any form; the fronts are edged by biais or rouleaux of black or dark velvet.

Pailles

Some crape bonnets are covered by sprigs of delicate white heaths all over them, and wreaths of the same inside; the same style is also made of pink and white heath; others are embroidered with wreaths of maïs silk, having wreaths of lilies of the valley inside and lappets of black lace. de riz ornamented by black lace and a sprig of lilac are very novel, as well as white crape ornamented by nœuds of black velvet. Bonnets of black and white lace are equally fashionable and elegant; but this is particularly the season of pailles de riz, many of which are elegantly simple in their trimmings. The scarf mantelets seem again this season to remain in favour, with variations to give a freshness and novel effect; some are made of two wide ribbons divided by ruches of lace, terminating with three rows of very wide black lace or guipure. Many barely cover the shoulder and remain quite open, but there is one make which admits of a piece being added in front when required to close, which is buttoned on under the trimming. These mantelets vary in style of trimming; some are with frills, others with stamped velvet and ruches. Very elegant mantelets écharpes are made of white silk embroidered and trimmed with ruches; others are of black taffetas with chicorées ruches of violet taffetas-two colours which contrast so prettily. The scarf Parisienne is of taffetas richly embroidered, and with two frills of rich lace. The Spanish mantelet is of black silk with deep frill in large flutes edged with ruches, which also are placed round the top of the mantelet and ends.

P.S.-As we have often before observed, the dresses of little girls are merely an adaptation of their mammas; the full balonné skirt flounces, lace flowers, ribbon, are all used on their toilettes. The Swiss round hat seems the only article exclusively belonging to them. The very youngest have their skirts covered by three flounces, giving the effect of three skirts; the body square and low, with bretelles formed of trimmings, and the same on the sleeves, ceintures of wide ribbon; others are with wide tucks embroidered, the body with berthe to match. Very narrow mantelets crossing and tied behind, trimmed with narrow lace, or small round Talmas trimmed with fringe, are the fashionable walking accompaniment. There is no particular change in the make of ladies' dresses; the thicker materials are mostly with high bodies, more or less ornamented by plastrons, braces, or revers; the thinner materials are with full bodies, sometimes to the waist.

DESCRIPTION OF THE ENGRAVINGS.
PLATE I.

Promenade Dress.-Robe of taffetas with flounces edged by moire, jacket body. Mantelet of green silk, with very deep fringe and four rows of ruches on the body of the mantelet. Bonnet of tissue straw and lilac silk.

Public Déjeuner Dress.-Robe of pink taffetas; the body is with basques, trimmed with white lace from the shoulders, forming revers and continued round the basque; the sleeve is with frills of lace, and chatelaines of lace up the skirt. Bonnet of white silk and blond.

Walking Dress-Robe of foulard with high body and very full but plain skirt. Small scarf mantelet of taffetas, trimmed with two rows of black lace and chicorées of taffetas. Bonnet of fancy straw, with flowers.

Child's Dress.-Frock of white jaconet; the skirt covered with flounces, embroidered in colours; the body is full, with bretelles to match, and bell sleeves. Capote of pink silk.

Carriage Dress.-Robe of lilac silk; the skirt is nearly covered by two very deep flounces of black lace; the body is open, with revers of black lace, and the sleeves have frills of lace. Bonnet of crape and blond, with flowers.

Promenade Dress.-Robe of taffetas à disposition with flounces, and high body with basques. Mantelet of black taffetas, trimmed with lace. Capote of pink silk and blond, with bunch of fruit at the side.

Dinner Dress.-Robe of paille taffetas with open body ornamented by a revers festonné, with silk and basque to correspond; the sleeves are composed of three frills; and the skirt covered by flounces also festonnés. Coiffure of hair, with drooping flowers at the back of the head.

Walking Dress.-Robe of foulard; the body high, buttoning up the front, and with basques edged with fringe; the skirt is with vandyked flounces, edged with fringe. Small mantelet scarf, trimmed with fringe. (See model). Bonnet of tulle in bouillons and lace.

Carriage Dress.-Robe of checked silk; high body with basques and bretelles étole trimmed with black lace; sleeves in bouillins terminating with frill of black lace. Capote of taffetas, with open edge and ruches of lace.

PLATE III.

Public Promenade Dress.-Robe of taffetas; the skirt is ornamented by bands of velvet; the body is high, with basques trimmed with velvet, and bands of velvet cross the front. Bonnet of tulle in bouillons, with feathers. Shawl of embroidered crape.

Child's Dress-Frock of muslin, with flounces having ribbon through the hem; body with basques and bretelles of fluted ribbon. Leghorn hat, with ruche.

Carriage Dress.-Robe of moire, with flounces ornamented by fancy buttons; jacket body and bell sleeves, also ornamented with fancy buttons. Bonnet of paille de riz and flowers.

Walking Dress.-Robe of striped silk, with high body. Mantelet of taffetas, with deep frill of the same ornamented by stamped velvet. Bonnet of pink silk, with feathers.

Riding Dress-Habit of cachemere; jacket body, with very deep basque and open collar. Felt hat, trimmed with velvet and feather.

PLATE IV.

Walking Dress.-Robe of taffetas, with flounces ornamented by bands of velvet; high body, with basque. Talma of glacé silk, forming double pelerine, and collar vandyked. Bonnet of paille de riz and silk, with violet at the edge and flowers.

Promenade Dress.-Robe of chiné and broché silk, with very full plain skirt and jacket; body trimmed with narrow fringe. Talma of light silk, trimmed with black lace, headed by three rows of velvet. Bonnet of talle and blond, with flowers.

Carriage Dress-Robe of foulard, with jacket body; the basques being deep and trimmed with frills edged with lace. Capote of fancy straw, with edge of lace and small feathers.

LONDON AND PARIS June 1855.